The first is how much Snyder has gotten right, from a citizen perspective, in his first two years in office.

The other? It's how much he's getting wrong.

The governor has a lot of things in common with Michigan families -- namely his focus on the importance of education accountability and early childhood programs.

But he's at least a little crosswise with the public (and, yes, they're the voters) on some issues, including funding and his strong pursuit of market-oriented reforms like school choice and more competition for public schools.

Snyder's agenda scores big, according the center's report (compiled after two years of town hall discussions involving thousands from Kalamazoo to Marquette) on issues such as better teacher evaluation and his emphasis on improving early childhood education.

How best to evaluate teachers?

The report shows Michiganders are deeply concerned about teachers. They want better measurements of their performance. They want more support and training for teachers who aren't at the top of their game. And they want chronic underperformers weeded out.

One of the first big pushes from the Snyder administration, in 2011, was reform of the state's tenure system for teachers. It's harder now for teachers to obtain tenure, and their success is tied to performance. And teacher evaluations, based on student outcomes, will be part of the system for reviewing teachers' tenure even after they have it.

The process of creating and implementing the evaluations has been rocky, and slow. A blue-ribbon panel of educators was empanelled to come up with a fair and accurate way to tie teacher evaluation to student performance, and a pilot program is in place this school year.

But to accurately reflect what citizens told the Center for Michigan, Snyder and the Legislature will have to be sure to back up the evaluation system with appropriate support for teachers.

While more than 60% said they believe it's crucial or very important for teachers to be held more accountable for their performance, nearly 90% told the Center for Michigan that they think it's crucial or very important to support teachers better. "More support is crucial," one person said. "Teachers are now asked to be nurses, housemaids and more."

Snyder's emphasis on early childhood education is also in line with what Michigan residents want. The governor has promised to expand pre-K availability (some 30,000 eligible 4-year-olds don't have slots right now) and legislative leaders, refreshingly, are also on board.

The importance of class size

But some of the governor's other ideas run counter to what Michigan residents told the Center for Michigan. The center's report offers an opportunity for the governor to redirect his efforts to reflect better what people who voted for him actually want.

Residents weren't asked directly about funding, but they were asked about class size, which is tied very closely to funding.

More than 70% of participants in the center's discussions said reducing class size was crucial or very important.

"I'd like for my daughter to be able to learn without feeling lost in a large group of kids," one person said.

Snyder's first two budgets included reductions in the foundation grant for schools -- reductions he said were necessary to help balance the budget. The governor has also tied some school funding to efficiencies and consolidations. The more school districts try to save money, the more he'll try to give them.

But even if those are noble financial goals (and I think they are), the overwhelming support for reducing class sizes suggests Michigan families are more concerned about classroom outcomes. The governor might do well to consider whether he's striking the proper balance between the two.

Families know best

Snyder has also pushed hard on expanding competition in the marketplace for public schools and online learning. He has said public education needs to work for students anytime, anywhere and at any speed.

But only about a third of those in the center's discussions said expanding marketplace choice or online learning was important.

Those numbers also have implications for Snyder's plan to nearly completely reorder the way schools are funded or structured in Michigan. Last year, he asked lawyer Richard McLellan, a longtime charter advocate with an abiding ideological and financial stake in the success of charters, to lead that effort. McLellan's report, which surfaced in late December, is expected to find its way into bills sometime during 2013. Snyder has insisted, though, that he just asked McLellan for ideas.

The Center for Michigan's report suggests Snyder might have been better off focusing on Michigan families -- talking to them, finding out what they want, and shaping policy around the answers.

It's not too late. The report is on the governor's desk, just like McLellan's, awaiting his attention.

Stephen Henderson is editorial page editor of the Free Press and the host of "American Black Journal," which airs on WTVS-Channel 56 at 2 p.m. on Sundays. Contact Henderson at shenderson600@freepress.com, or at 313-222-6659.